Ghent Dog Park — Attraction in Norfolk

It's hard to decide whether to rate this park a 3 or a 4. It's just average. But the lack of grass, while understandable, is a big turnoff. When specifically planning an area as a dog park, the type of turf is important. Communities will put the money into children's parks, and taxpayers pay for all sorts of amenities for children regardless of whether they have kids or not. But for the citizens whose animals are their kids, they aren't afforded much consideration. That's hardly fair, especially considering how hard pet owners try to please non-animal lovers. Cities can do better.

The park is a fair size, has double gated entries at both ends of the park, several stainless steel water bowls of various sizes beside a water pump at one end and some mulch around the perimeter which is demarcated by wood members. The ground surface other than that is all dirt.

There were dogs of all sizes, ages and breeds playing. There were a couple of Great Danes, a few toy breeds, many young and adults, a couple of seniors, and a handful of puppies, but thankfully none that appeared so young that they haven't received their booster shots yet - that always makes me sad, knowing how often those pups pay the price with their lives, or at the very least have a very difficult and expensive fight to survive.

Overall the playing seemed relaxed and without incident while I was there. Owners were conscientious of their pup's behavior, correcting for the occasional humping, jumping or not heeding another dog's signals that it wanted space. In general owners were tolerant of other dog's behaviors, understanding that dogs will be dogs and they all have their issues, we are all in different stages of training. Of course, this isn't always the case and there is always the chance that there’s one owner who just doesn't understand how to treat others appropriately. Like the owner who didn’t get that it's inappropriate to yell at and smack their dog, even if they feel their dog is embarrassing them. Yelling at and hitting an animal caused much more of an embarrassing worthy commotion which had everyone uncomfortably staring. And I was worried that I was going to be the one in the crowd, with the dog who's an uncontrollable terror. I wish I were that time. :(

I would love if a dog park decided to install artificial dog turf. They would likely have to additionally install pop-up sprinklers to come on at night and rinse the surface down to keep it from deteriorating. Additionally there would be a need for leaf removal and perhaps additional poop bag dispensers to help encourage owners to pick up any feces they see even if they aren't from their own dog. Sometimes it's difficult to keep an eye on your own dog when there are so many dogs and so much activity. But if we all work together we could have a nice facility that stays nice and doesn't require giving our dogs a bath every...

A Neighborhood Gem with One Caveat Ghent Dog Park is a beloved urban oasis for Norfolk's canine residents and their owners. Nestled in the charming and historic Ghent neighborhood, this well-maintained park offers a fantastic space for dogs to socialize and burn off energy. The park is thoughtfully equipped with essential amenities, including readily available waste bags, numerous trash receptacles, and, during the warmer seasons, a convenient water fountain to keep the dogs hydrated. The sense of community among the regulars is a standout feature; fellow dog lovers are generally friendly, responsible, and welcoming, contributing to a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. It's the kind of place where you and your furry friend can easily make new acquaintances. I highly recommended this spot...

I use to bring my corgi here all the time but lately many owners are bringing their aggressive dogs that end up fighting at the park. A few times I’ve brought my dog and these people’s very large dogs are harassing and biting my dog to point where he’s crying. I can no longer take him and I don’t feel that’s fair. Keep your aggressive dogs that have no social training at home. This is how people’s dogs get killed or seriously hurt. I understand big dogs need a place to play too.. and many of the bigger dogs are great with each other! But occasionally someone brings a dog that hasnt been around many dogs and it makes everyone else’s experience dangerous. Keep them at home or socialize them more before unleashing them...